


A Thousand Times to Eternity

by SpicyRedPaladin



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Casual Sex, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, From Sex to Love, Langst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Secret Relationship, Sex Addiction, enemies to fwb to lovers, stress relief sex, this feels like a film noir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 00:19:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14508363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpicyRedPaladin/pseuds/SpicyRedPaladin
Summary: Lance was used to using sex for stress relief. Used to being passed around. He isn't used to pain, though, no matter how often he feels it.





	A Thousand Times to Eternity

**Author's Note:**

> Not Beta'd. Please enjoy. nonetheless, and let me know if something of wrong with it!  
> ~Eli

The scent hung in the air like stale cigarette smoke. The smell of sex and adrenaline, so ever-present in Lance’s room that it had ingrained itself into even the metal of the walls. Lance didn’t sit and stew in that aura like Keith did, though, to be fair, Keith was asleep at this point. No, Lance was sitting in the communal shower room, letting the water pelt down on him in scalding waves. It had become a sort of ritual. Get back from a mission, disappear with Keith after the debriefing, fuck like animals for a few hours until the adrenaline was gone… Lance sighed, finally turning off the water. His skin burned from the heat of the water, but it wasn’t enough. He was numb inside, couldn’t feel the pain past his epidermis.

Well, Lance thought he was numb. Turned out, his heart could feel pain. Their ritual broke so quickly, so easily, when Shiro disappeared. Now Keith had the responsibilities of a leader. Instead of Lance running off when they were done, it was Keith that left, far before the adrenaline was gone. The first time, Lance had been confused and angry, the second, desperate and denying. The third time, and every time after that, he was numb and accepting. Some things just had to be, after all.

Red seemed to understand him, at least. Not that Blue hadn’t, she’d just dealt with it differently. When he piloted Red, he felt small shocks throughout his being, his Lion making sure he was still capable of feeling past the surge of adrenaline that piloting brought. He was thankful for that, thankful that Red reminded him that he was still human, still alive. And then the dynamic shifted again.

Shiro was back, Galra tech arm and all. He and Keith could have gone back to their old routine. But, of course, they didn’t. Suddenly, Lance’s outlet was gone. Keith just... Stopped wandering off with him. Lance stayed quiet, knowing better than to bring it up. They’d fallen apart, after all. Leadership had changed Keith, and he had his Blade training to worry about. The twinge of pain, though, whenever Keith would forgo his leadership, his Lion, his  _ team _ , because of a Marmora mission, kept Lance grounded. There Keith went, again, making him feel these strange feelings.

When Keith left, he’d gotten so used to the twinges of pain that he didn’t even notice. But when Shiro pinned him to the wall of the shower later that night, he noticed. He felt the rush again like he had with Keith, but this time he also felt the strong cords of muscle that kept him in place and moved him at his distraction’s will and whim. He’d never bottomed before, but the adrenaline kept the pain from seeping into his mind. And when it was over, when all the adrenaline was gone, it was the warm arms that stayed around him that kept the regret away.

It was strange, being Shiro’s lover. That was what his leader called it, anyway. Lance just agreed. He didn’t want to admit it, but he actually liked the ring of it. Not that anyone else would hear it. Shiro had made it clear that what they did in the showers (and their rooms and even once in the lounge) had to stay a secret. Not that Lance couldn’t keep a secret like this. Shiro still had no clue what he and Keith had done, after all. And if his heart started to flutter when Shiro gave him certain looks or spoke with a certain tone of voice, well, he could keep that secret too.

Lotor’s arrival put a strain on the entire team. But Lance never thought it would make such a strain between himself and Shiro. A strain so taught that the fragile thing they had, whatever it was, broke. Lance thought he was numb, but his heart ached when Shiro snapped at him. He’d thought the words they’d shared when they were alone actually meant something, but it seemed like he was just another distraction, just like he had been for Keith. And so Lance pulled away from him, unwilling to let his habit drag him back to someone who openly shunned him while pretending to care for him in the darkness of their bunk rooms.

By now, Lance knew he was an addict. He liked the way sex made him feel. Unconsciously, his body searched again. Searched for the next hit. And he found it rather quickly. Lotor was a worldly type of person, unafraid of new ideas. He was very receptive when he saw Lance outside his door the first time. Lance wished he could have said it was for something normal, like bringing him lunch or telling him he needed to come to the bridge. But he knew what he was there for, and so did Lotor.

It wasn’t what Lance had imagined. Galra were much more vocal, much more overbearing, much more possessive, than humans. Lotor did a good job marking up his neck and shoulders with those cute little fangs of his. His claws made nice thin, red lines all over Lance’s shoulders and beautiful grooves in the soft flesh of his hips, waist, and thighs. No, Lance was not numb. Fucking Lotor proved it. Proved that he could still feel, even if he had been broken.

It wasn’t long before Lance entertained that he might regret sleeping with the Galran prince. Lotor was a possessive man, practically hanging over Lance as the days went by. Not that the Red Paladin complained about his doting suitor. It just took getting used to. He thought it was normal to act like you barely knew each other in front of the others, but Lotor was open and loving and loud about what they did and supposedly had.

When Lotor was crowned, Lance figured it would change again. Lotor had more power than Lance could even imagine. What did he need the tan little earthing for? But Lotor invited him aboard his capital ship so often that Lance considered leaving his toothbrush. Not that Lotor would say no, Lance just wasn’t sure it was permanent. Until the night that Lotor shifted the dynamic again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lance fidgeted with the last piece of dinner on his plate, pushing it around with his fork. He smiled when Lotor leaned over, spearing it and offering it for Lance to eat. The paladin did, leaning forward and making eye contact as he did. He knew the Emperor liked things like that, liked feeling the way they connected, even if their skin didn’t touch.

As Lance chewed, Lotor called for a servant-type sentry to bring their desert. Lance hummed thoughtfully. Lotor didn’t usually ask for dessert with his dinner. Something must be up tonight. Lance reached over and played with Lotor’s hand absentmindedly, smiling when his lover chuckled. Lance licked his lips as dessert was set before them. It was something like strawberry shortcake mixed with jello and nuts, and it also happened to be his favorites of the various alien desserts he’d tried. Lotor made a point to feed this to Lance as well, eyes scraping over his lover as he ate and licked his lips.

The two went to the bed once dinner was over, bodies coming together in a sensual dance. It was hot and heavy and Lance loved every moment of this intimacy with his Emperor. He knew that Lotor felt the same way, especially since they both knew that every time could be the last time. When their passion finally subsided, the men held each other, sweaty bodies pressed close on top of cool, silky sheets. Lotor broke the easy silence between them, a single nail dragging down Lance’s cheek.

“Love, lately it’s come to my attention that you might not think my intentions for you are lasting. I would like to remedy that if you would let me.”

A soft laugh bubbled past Lance’s lips as Lotor sat up, reaching back to pick something from the discarded clothes.

“I don’t really know what you’re talking about, Loti. I know y-”

Lance was cut off as Lotor turned to him, holding what seemed to be a clamshell. What in the world was he doing? Lotor spoke again.

“Your fellow paladins told me that, on Earth, it is customary for a suitor to bestow a gift of jewelry to the one they intend to marry. Since we’ve been courting for quite some time…” Lance gulped. They’d been courting? “...I decided it was finally time that I reveal my true intentions to you.”

Lotor slid the clamshell into Lance’s hands as the Earthling sat up, eyes wide as tears started welling in them. He carefully opened it, hoping that it wasn’t a real clam. Inside sat a finely wrought, silver chain bearing three pearls, two a soft violet and one a pale blue. Lotor lifted the necklace, clasping it around Lance’s neck as the latter tried to collect his thoughts.

“Lotor… I-I can’t marry you! I’m just a nobody from Earth! What could you possibly see in me..?”

A short silence passed and Lance felt his heart tighten before Lotor replied.

“A nobody from Earth, you say? Forgive me, love, but I really must disagree with you. You are a Paladin of Voltron, firstly. And secondly, you are Lance McClain, a handsome, strong man that I can only begin to admire. You have my heart, dearest Red. Now, if you please, I’d like to continue showing you my love.”

Lance raised a hand to stop Lotor’s lip, a deep red flush covering his cheeks.

“Wait… Lotor, are you really sure? This isn’t just… I mean, like… I’m not just a distraction from your responsibilities, right?”

Lotor smiled softly and held Lance’s hands to the sides, leaning in and kissing him lovingly.

“Though you distract me so well, I would never think of you as merely that. I love you, Lance.”

Lance gasped softly. Shiro had said that once at the beginning of their ‘relationship’ but had never repeated the phrase. He didn’t know what to think of it, unnerved at the thought of having a true love like what he’d heard about in fairy tales. He only knew he’d begun to cry because Lotor gently wiped away the tears.

Before the man could speak to reassure him, he moved closer, wrapping himself around the solid muscle before him and closing his eyes. Lotor held him quietly, kissing Lance’s tears away until he’d cried them all out. Once he’d gotten his voice back, Lance leaned up and kissed Lotor gently before pulling away and whispering softly in his ear.

“Yes, a thousand times into eternity.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please kudo and comment if you enjoyed it~


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